Secret Garden

Beacon Hill, MA

This classic courtyard garden is a hidden gem in the heart of Boston’s Beacon Hill. Inspired by the home’s elegant beauty, we turned this landscape into a peaceful terraced garden.

This “secret garden,” tucked into a private Beacon Hill residence, is buffered from the street by high walls and buildings. It can only be seen through the home’s windows and glass doors, but once you do gaze upon it, the terraced garden impresses with its simple elegance. We worked with the owners to create the perfect setting for reading a book in the afternoon – and enjoying a glass of wine with friends in the evening.

Visitors with a keen eye will notice the loose symmetry linking the upper sitting terrace with lower dinning terrace. We brought in mature plantings for year-round beauty and to organize the garden. Fastigiate Hornbeam, Summer Camellia and Viridis Yew, along with the brick and stone walls, provide the garden’s structure. For color and texture, we incorporated playful garden ornaments plus Climbing Hydrangea, Boxwood, Huechera, Astilbe, Royal Fern, Peony, European Ginger and dwarf Hosta.

Two brownstone foo dogs, weighing in at 2000 lbs each, guard the courtyard. A small cast iron lion head fountain greets guests with the peaceful sound of running water throughout the garden. Further accents include classic limestone and case iron urns, planted with seasonal flowers, and large lattice panels with mirrors and Climbing Hydrangea. Subtle landscape lighting brings the garden to life every evening.